Front gun sight



y W53 w. F. FRIEDRICHSMEIER 2,842,848

' FRONT GUN SIGHT Filed Aug. 17, 1955 w M/liam F. Friedr/chsmeier Fl INVENTOR.

Y MW m FRDNT GUN SIGHT William F. Friedrichsmeier, Wilder, Idaho Appiication August 17, 1955, Serial No, 528,959

1 (llairn. (till, 33--52) This invention relates in general to gun sights, and

more particularly to an improved front sight for firearms.

A constant problem of the hunter using a gun has been one of aligning the sights quickly and accurately in order to bring down a sometimes swiftly moving and evasive target. Many attempts have been made to rectify this situation by forming the front sight blade of a rifle from a light colored material, forming the rear portion of the sight blade of a light material or adding a light material button or sighting edge to the top portion of the sight blade. Although the methods cited have been successful to some extent, the very fact that the front sight blade is so narrow or small, necessary in fine sighting, the size of the contrasting material of which the blade is made must therefore be necessarily small and still hard to locate, especially when lighting conditions are poor.

Therefore, the primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improved front sight for a firearm, rifle or pistol, which has a dark colored front sight blade mounted on a somewhat larger front sight base, the base being constructed of a material contrasting in color to the front sight blade, thereby providing a front sight that is easily located with respect to the rear sight, thus allowing the hunter to quickly line up his sights and bring down game which would otherwise be lost.

A further object of this invention is to provide a front sight that is solidly mounted on the firearm barrel with no angles, corners or projections that would catch on foliage, bedclothing or other camping gear when the firearm is carried or temporarily stored by a camper when not in use.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a front sight for a firearm which is easily and cheaply manufactured and yet will be rugged and dependable in use.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a front sight with a replaceable, contrasting material disposed about the front sight blade to provide better visability thereof.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a front sight with a replaceable front sight blade.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention shown attached to a firearm barrel, with the barrel partially broken away;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the front sight, taken substantially along section line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the invention taken substantially along section line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the rear portion of the 2,842,848 Fatented July 15, 1958 sight taken substantially along section line 5--5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a still further embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 is a reduced sectional view taken substantially along section line 7-7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a reduced top view of the sight shown in Figure 7; and

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially along section line 9-9 of Figure 7.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the front gun sight in the first embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, consists of an elongated rectangular base block, referred to in general by the reference numeral 16), having a lower transversely curved surface 12 extending the length thereof. The surface 12 is so curved to conform to the configuration of a firearm barrel 14 on which the base it) is mounted. The upper portion of the base lit is formed of two pieces, a metallic frame, referred to in general by reference numeral 16, and an insert, referred to in general by the reference numeral 13. Frame has two upstanding side walls 2d and 22, having inner surf cs 24 and 26 defining the outer limits of a longitudinally extending recess, referred to in general by reference numeral 28. The recess 28 has a sight blade 30 centrally located between the side walls and 22, extending upward from the lower boundary thereof and terminating above the upper limits of the side walls 20 and 22. The sight blade is formed integral with the base I'll and extends longitudinally thereof. The insert 18 is received in the recess 28, with a suitable aperture 32 formed therein to receive the blade 30 and is retained within the recess 23 by a retaining pin 34 which extends transversely through the wall 2d, the blade 30, the insert 13 and the wall 22.

The upper edges of the walls 2t and 22 lie in coplanar relation to the upper surface of the insert 18 and extend upward and backward from a front surface 36 of the base 10 to form a front ramp 3% which terminates in a horizontally disposed upper surface 40. The surface 40 terminates in a rear ramp 42 which extends downward and backward to a back surface 44 of the base 10.

The sight blade 30 extends above the surface 40, and the insert 18 is provided with a groove 46 which extends longitudinally and in surrounding relationship to the blade 30 and terminates in the ramps 38 and 42. The pulpose of the groove 46 is to accentuate the blade 30 and thus allow better sighting of the firearm to which the sight is attached. Although the groove 46 is shown as being arcuate in cross-section, it could be angular.

It should be noted that the insert 18 is constructed of a material contrasting in color from the material of which the front sight blade 30 is constructed for the purpose of further accentuatingthe blade when sighting the firearm, especially when lighting conditions are bad.

The second embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, consists of an elongated base block, referred to in general by the reference numeral 50, having a lower curved surface 52 extending the length thereof. The upper portion of the base is formed of two materials, a metallic frame referred to in general by the reference numeral 54 and a plurality of inserts, referred to in general by the reference numeral 56. The frame 54 has two upstanding side walls 58 and 6t), and two spaced inner walls 62 and 64, parallel to the walls 53 and 60. The walls 58 and 62 define an outer recess 66, the walls 60 and 64 define a second outer recess 68, and the walls 62 and 64 define a center recess '70, all of the recesses extending longitudinally of the front sight. A front sight blade 72 is received between the walls 62 and 64, in the front portion of the center recess The inserts 56 are received in the recesses 66 and 68 for the full length of the recesses 66' and 68 and in the rear portion of the center recess 70.

The sight blade '72 extends above the upper limits of the walls 58, 6t), 62 and 64, providing a clearly discernible sight when sighting the firearm to which it is attached.

The upper edges of the walls 58, 60, 62 and 64 lie in coplanar relation to the upper surface of the inserts 56, and extend upward and backward from a front surface 74 of the base to form a front ramp 76 which termi" nates in a horizontally disposed upper planar surface '78. The surface 78 terminates in a rear ramp 80 which extends downward and backward to a back surface '02 of the base 50. It should be noted that the front portion of the sight blade 72- also lies in coplanar relation to the front ramp 76 and the sight blade 72, together with the inserts 66 and 68 are retained in position in the recesses provided therefor by a pin 84 which extends transversely through the walls 58, 62, 6'4, and the front sight blade. The portion of the center insert within the center recess is retained therein by friction, suitable adhesive, or other suitable means.

A third embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, and consists of an elongated rectangular base block, referred to in general by the reference numeral 90, and having a lower transversely curved surface 92 extending the length thereof to conform to the configuration of a firearm barrel. The upper portion of the base is formed of two pieces, a metallic frame, referred to in general by the reference numeral 94, and a non-metallic insert, referred to in general by the reference numeral 96 The frame 94 has two upstanding side walls 98 and 100, having inner surfaces 102 and 104 defining the outer limits of a longitudinally extending recess, referred to in general by the reference numeral 106. The recess 106 has a dividing partition 108 centrally' located between the side walls 98 and and extending upward from the lower surface thereof. The partition 108 terminates in a front sight blade 11%) which is formed integral with the partition 103' and extends and terminates above the upper limits of the side Walls 98 and 100. The partition 108' also divides the front portion of the recess 106 into two equal and parallel recesses 112 and 114.

The insert 96 is received in the recess 106 with suitable legs 116' and 118 formed in the forward portion thereof to fit within the recesses 112 and 114.

The upper edges of the walls 93 and 100 and the partition 108 lie in coplanar relation to the upper surfaces of the insert 96 and the forward portion of the blade 110. The aforementioned components extend upward and backward from a front surface 120 of the base 90 to form a front ramp 122 which terminates in a horizontally disposed upper surface 12 i, adjacent both sides of the blade 110. The surface 124 terminates in a rear ramp 126 which extends downward and backward to a back surface 128 of the base 90.

It should be noted that the rear portion of the recess 106 is formed at the bottom thereof into a series of circular recesses 130, as is best seen in Figure 8, the purpose of which is to retain the insert 96 in the recess 106. It should be understood that the insert in this instance is in a molten form and poured into the recess 166' after which it is suitably formed on the outside surfaces thereof to conform to the shape of the metallic sight.

in all modifications of the invention, the insert material utilized is of a lighter, in color, material than the metallic portion of the sight. It should be further noted that all sharp corners are broken at time of manufacture, and that there are no hooks, projections Or other appurtenances that would catch on tree limbs or bed clothing or other camping gear.

In use, it should be noted that upon aligning the sights of the firearm to which the invention is attached, the front sight blade, in all embodiments, is clearly defined by the light colored material on the rear ramp.

In the first embodiment of the invention, the insert 13 could be replaced with another insert of the same size and shape, possibly of a different coloration without disturbing the front sight blade 30 and thus, if need be, providing the proper insert for the particular lighting conditions which prevail.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A front sight for mounting on the barrel of a firearm, said sight comprising a baseimmovably mounted on the upper surface of the barrel, a plurality of longitudinal grooves in said base, a sight blade disposed in the forward portion of the center groove, a contrasting material disposed in the remaining grooves and in the rear portion of the center groove, said base and said contrasting material forming a forwardly and upwardly inclined rear ramp, a rearwardly and upwardly inclined front ramp, and a top planar surface connecting said ramps, said blade extending above said top planar surface, said blade and said contrasting material being removably retained in said grooves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 793,016 Murray June 20, 1905 1,043,678 Bertouch Nov. 5, 19 12 1,329,075 Fornonzini Jan. 27, 1920 1,989,863 Humeston Feb. 5, 1935 2,566,207 Jacobs Aug. 28, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 82,100 Austria Dec. 27, 1920 

